1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device powered by a battery inserted therein, and more particularly to an electronic device having a battery casing and a battery cover which incorporates a display unit for displaying various pieces of information relative to the electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices such as video tape recorders (VTRs) integrally combined with video cameras have a display unit for displaying various pieces of information including operation statuses, modes, a time counter, warning messages, a remaining battery energy level, etc.
The display unit generally comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit, which is located in a region of the electronic device that can visually be recognized with ease.
In recent years, VTRs integrally combined with video cameras incorporate many functions, and hence display units of such VTRs tend to be relatively large in size for displaying a wide variety of information concerning those many functions.
On the other hand, VTRs integrally combined with video cameras themselves are required to be smaller in size for better portability and handling capability. Since such small-size VTRs integrally combined with video cameras have a limited space available for display units, the VTR designers have been making great efforts to establish a location for large-size display units on the VTRs integrally combined with video cameras.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device having a display unit, control keys, and a battery storage area positioned in a manner to effectively utilize a limited space available on the electronic device.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising a housing having a battery casing for accommodating a battery therein, battery cover means mounted on the housing for openably enclosing the battery casing, and display means mounted on the battery cover means, for displaying information relative to the electronic device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising a housing having a battery casing for accommodating a battery therein, battery cover means mounted on the housing for openably enclosing the battery casing, and control means mounted on the battery cover means, for controlling the electronic device.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising a housing having a battery casing for accommodating a battery therein, battery cover means mounted on the housing for openably enclosing the battery casing, and storage means mounted in the battery cover means, for storing a backup battery.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising a housing having a battery casing for accommodating a battery therein, battery cover means mounted on the housing for openably enclosing the battery casing, battery lock means for retaining the battery against removal from the battery casing, and means for preventing the battery cover means from fully closing the battery casing when the battery is incompletely accommodated in the battery casing.